Here below we have an outline of our service for you to follow at home if you can’t be with us. Choose a quiet reflective space and to make it more meaningful have a cross, bible and candle to make your sacred space.
INTRODUCTION
Good morning everyone, we had a record attendance last week for our Harvest festival and I’m sure the recipients of our food parcels to Urban Outreach were grateful for them. The children who read the prayers and readings did extremely well despite some of them reading in church for the first time. They must have been very nervous, so well done to them all.
Little church has re- started in the vicarage and will run each week apart from the first Sunday of the month when it will be youth service in church.
Admission to Holy Communion classes start tomorrow for Year 3 and above and the confirmation classes probably next week. If your child would like to join us please contact me as soon as you can.
The reflection today is by Reverend Peter and the intercessions are by myself.
Jan B
PRAYER OF PREPARATION
God is spirit. Let us worship him in spirit and truth
The Lord is with us. Let us praise his name together.
PRAYER OF PENITENCE
Lord God, we have sinned against you; we have done evil in your sight. We are sorry and repent. Have mercy on us according to your love. Wash away our wrongdoing and cleanse us from our sin. Renew a right spirit within us and restore us to the joy of your salvation, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
GLORIA
Glory to God in the highest and peace to his people on earth. Lord God, heavenly king, almighty God and Father. We worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory. Lord Jesus Christ only son of the Father Lord God Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world: have mercy upon us; you are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer. For you alone are the Holy One , you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most high, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
THE COLLECT
Faithful Lord, whose steadfast love never ceases and whose mercies never come to an end: grant us the grace to trust you and to receive the gifts of your love, new every morning, in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
THE NEW TESTAMENT READING
HEBREWS 4, 12-16
Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And before him no creature is hidden, but all are naked and laid bare to the eyes of the one to whom we must render an account.
Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
THE GOSPEL
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark. Glory to you O Lord
MARK 10, 17-31
As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, ‘Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: “You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honour your father and mother.” ’ He said to him, ‘Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.’ Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, ‘You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’ When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.
Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, ‘How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!’ And the disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said to them again, ‘Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.’ They were greatly astounded and said to one another, ‘Then who can be saved?’ Jesus looked at them and said, ‘For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible.’
Peter began to say to him, ‘Look, we have left everything and followed you.’ Jesus said, ‘Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.’
This is the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you O Christ
REFLECTION
We call this man the “rich young ruler” but in Mark he is young, he is a man, he seems to be religious, very religious in fact, and right at the end we discover he has many possessions.
Mark wants us to journey with the story – “what must we do to inherit eternal life?”
Can you answer that question? The young man sees eternal life as something to inherit, to grow into as it were. He senses that keeping the commandments may not be enough? By the way the observant will notice that Jesus does not ask him if he keeps the commandment not to covet! Given his possessions and his decision to keep them and walk away from Jesus maybe he was not so good at avoiding coveting.
The observant will also notice that Mark tells us that Jesus looks at this man and loves him- a very unusual comment. Jesus likes this eager young man, and maybe he knows the inner battle and even the result. Some have called this man the 13th disciple, the one who did not follow (unlike Matthew the tax-man who threw a party or Zacchaeus the rich tax-man who pledged to give his money away).
To inherit eternal life we have to live looser to the possessions we store up on earth. We may not be Jeff Bezos rich; we are not the super-rich but I suspect we all have more than enough (which is fine, except that we know so many do not have nearly enough. It is not the good life that is the problem in itself, it is the fact that we have more than we need when so many have nothing or virtually nothing, and as we understand our history better so we know that the wealth of the West was partially built on the “exploitation” of labour and resources in the other parts of the world.
So what must we do to inherit eternal life? Jesus says at least part of the answer will be found in whether or not we are too attached to our possessions and their acquisition. Jesus loved the young man, but he loved his possessions more.
THE CREED
I believe in God the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
INTERCESSIONS
Here we pray for the church, for the world, those in need and those who have died, you can follow your own prayers or these below on today’s theme.
In the power of the Spirit and in union with Christ, let us pray to the Father.
God our creator, we give you thanks for the mystery of life and the beauty of the earth. We remember in your presence all who strive to reveal your glory. We pray for churches throughout the world that seek to help in the care and protection of the environment. We ask your blessing on church groups that work in areas of deprivation and with people that are counted as of little importance. We pray for all relief organisations and those working with the world’s poor. Lord in your mercy….Hear our prayer.
We pray for our churches in our Turton Moorland team, our clergy and lay ministry teams. We pray for our congregations that they may find love and support within our work and fellowship and that we are worthy of God’s grace. Lord in your mercy……..Hear our prayer.
We give thanks for all who enrich our lives by their talent and care. We ask you to bless all who influence our future by the decisions of governments or in multinational companies. We pray for the work of all who are involved in conservation and in Fair Trade. Qe remember the unemployed and all who are denied human rights. We ask your blessing upon all who are oppressed and homeless people. Lord in your mercy….Hear our prayer.
We give thanks for our homes, our talents and all that you have given us. May we use our resources for the benefit of those in need and for the improvement of the world around us. Bless our homes, that they may reflect your love and be where your peace and presence abide. Lord in your mercy ….Hear our prayer
Lord God, giver of life and health, we come in our weakness to your strength, in our troubles to your peace. We ask your blessing on all who are suffering, all who are ill at home or in hospita, especially today Mildred l. We give thanks for the talent and attention of doctors, nurses and carers. We pray especially for all who feel lonely or neglected and all who have no one to care for them. Lord in your mercy…..Hear our prayer.
Holy and merciful God, we rejoice in your saving power and that you give us life eternal. We ask your blessing upon all the saints who have revealed your glory by their lives. We remember also all who have enriched us by their goodness and care, and we pray for all our loved ones and friends who are departed from us, especially Phyllis Hamer whose funeral is on Tuesday at St. Maxentius and from our book or remembrance, Margaret ( Peggy) Pollitt, Renee Walton, Freda Halliwell and Ivy Dugdale. Lord in your mercy …..Hear our prayer.
Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen
THE LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in Heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For the Kingdom, the power and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen.
THE BLESSING
The Lord bless us and watch over us,
the Lord make his face shine upon us and be gracious to us
The Lord look kindly on us and give us peace and the blessing of God almighty , the Father, The Son and the Holy Spirit, be with us now and for evermore. Amen
